Rehearsal dinners have long been the tradition, but many couples look for ways to amp up fun with their guests—and not just those with parts to rehearse. The wedding platform Zola recently reported a nearly one-third increase in welcome parties between 2023 and 2024, and as the trend continues, brides and grooms are getting more creative.
The most common way to entertain out-of-town guests is with a welcome party the night before the ceremony. Some couples swap out the rehearsal dinner for a general-invite one, says planner Sarah Kazemburg of SKB Events, while others host a gathering after their rehearsal dinner.
That’s what Megan and Heinz Kaiser did last fall when they decided to follow their rehearsal dinner with a fete for everyone. “Our goal was to bring our favorite people together from all over the country, and we wanted that to start as soon as possible,” says Megan, “so a welcome gathering on Friday night before the wedding just made sense.”
Such parties are a chance for couples to express themselves in a more casual way than at the wedding itself. A few months ago, Kazemburg—who says a welcome party lets couples get creative with a theme—helped two clients achieve their love-of-fall vibe by arranging a campfire with Moscow mules and warm cider at a restaurant on the Wharf.
Tabitha Roberts of Roberts & Co. Events worked with a couple who invited guests on a walking ghost tour in Old Town Alexandria on Friday night before their nuptials the next day. Divided into small groups, friends and family learned some the city’s history as part of the spooky script. “We gave them hot chocolate in cups with the couple’s monogram, and they returned to the hotel to late-night snacks and a welcome drink,” Roberts says.
“We kicked off the festivities with a welcome party at a magic bar,” says Jamésa Alexander of Jayne Heir Events. The gathering began with cocktails, followed by a 90-minute magic show. “It was an unexpected but pleasant surprise for the guests. We had never done this before, and it was a hit.”
In particular for invitees who arrive early the day before the wedding, mini-golf is a fun option, says Eric Davis, concierge at the Fairmont in Georgetown. “It’s something every age can do, and it’s a good icebreaker.” He recommends East Potomac Miniature Golf Course, America’s oldest mini-golf layout, which recently had a million-dollar facelift. Davis has helped couples book other popular outings, including extravagant spa days, chartered boat trips on the Potomac, and chauffeured winery trips in Northern Virginia.
As for Megan and Heinz’s welcome party, they decided to share the best of nearby Annapolis when they hosted 100 out-of-town guests at Level, a rustic-chic small-plates lounge downtown, where they served oysters and crab dip. “It was important for us to choose bites that felt unique to the Chesapeake Bay,” Megan says. “For many guests, it was the first time they ever tried crab!”
Looking back, they say, the Annapolis pre-party was the highlight of the weekend. “We got a few extra hours to catch up and hug our people, many we hadn’t seen in a while,” Megan says. “That night was euphoria.”
This article appears in the January 2025 issue of Washingtonian.
